> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # SM ‘spa’ targeted in brothel crackdown - URL: https://www.smdp.com/sm-spa-targeted-in-brothel-crackdown/ - Published: 2005-07-02T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T07:22:04.000Z - Author: Ryan Hyatt - Tags: Business, Downtown, #archive-import *Alleged brothel was once a chiropractic clinic* DOWNTOWN LA — A Santa Monica business owner was arrested in a Thursday night sting for her alleged involvement in a human smuggling ring in which hundreds of South Korean women were brought to the United States to work as prostitutes. A criminal complaint filed in Los Angeles on Thursday accused 23 individuals of conspiracy for their alleged involvement in a human smuggling and prostitution ring that spanned from South Korea to regions throughout the United States. The accused individuals, who law enforcement agencies have been investigating since at least September, include Mee Suk Lee, owner of Gold Spa at 1844 14th Street, which is listed as a chiropractic clinic. They will face charges related to their alleged harboring and trafficking of women for prostitution. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of Investigations, the primary law enforcement agency involved in the case, allege a group they called the “Jung Organization,” spearheaded by Young Joon Jung and Ho Kyung Kim, smuggled South Korean women into the United States and provided them to brothel operators. The two men are believed to have overseen efforts to recruit prospective prostitutes in South Korea and arranged for them to be brought to the United States, sometimes through Mexico and Canada, according to information provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which will be prosecuting the case. The women allegedly promised to pay up to $16,000 in order to be smuggled into the U.S. Once they arrived, they worked as prostitutes, with a portion of their pay going towards repaying their smuggling debts. “This type of criminal organization exploits the hopes and dreams of immigrants,” said U.S. Attorney Debra Wong Yang. “They exploited women, some of whom apparently suffered injuries as a result of their work.” The complaint includes transcripts of conversations that allegedly occurred between ring organizers in which prostitutes claim to suffer from health problems — such as vaginal and anal bleeding — not immediately treated and likely related to abuses associated with their work. Instances were also cited in the complaint in which the alleged prostitutes were coerced to work, and extorted to pay more money, for their smuggling debt. One of the suspects, Hee Keown Eun, is believed to be the owner of Silver Taxi, a Korean taxi service which allegedly distributed groups of female prostitutes to various brothels in Los Angeles, as well as coordinating their transportation to other states, like Oregon and Texas. The brothels have been concealed as acupuncture and aromatherapy clinics, chiropractic offices, health spas and massage parlors, according to the complaint. Pamela McGarvey, who deals with city business licensing issues, said there is no history of a business under the name of Gold Spa at any location in Santa Monica. McGarvey said a business operated under the name of Gold Chiropractic, a chiropractic office, was operated at 1844 14th Street between Nov. 14, 2002 and May 7, 2003\. Although Lee was arrested for being the owner of the alleged brothel, McGarvey said a different name was listed as the owner of the chiropractic clinic. The complaint said prostitution business owners within the Jung Organization often paid chiropractors $600 to $1,500 per month, per location, for the use of their chiropractic licenses. The complaint said chiropractors also file business tax licenses for the brothel owners and occasionally hire “sit-in” doctors to help give the business an appearance of legitimacy. Calls to the Gold Spa were not returned. During Thursday’s searches, investigators seized nearly $300,000 in cash and more than $650,000 in bank account assets. Investigators expected to seize another $800,000 in bank accounts by Friday afternoon. In addition to the criminal arrests, federal agents took into custody 46 women who were working at brothels that were shut down. Agents are interviewing the women to learn more about the circumstances surrounding how they came here and how they were treated once they arrived. Evidence to be used in the criminal case will be based on surveillance of suspects by ICE agents and local law enforcement officials, including the Santa Monica police. Other law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation included the Internal Revenue Service, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, and the Redondo Beach and Anaheim Police. ICE representatives began a wire-tapped investigation of Jung and close associates shortly after Feb. 24\. In addition, five informants, four of whom may testify, provided information to investigators they had gathered in meetings with Jung and his associates, according to the complaint. *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 2, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/070205.pdf?ref=smdp.com)